


Ultimatum

by orphan_account



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Laurel Lance, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Laurel Lance is Alive, Not Canon Compliant, Tommy Merlyn is Alive, at all really, bit angsty, not set anywhere particular
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-27
Updated: 2016-04-27
Packaged: 2018-06-04 21:59:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6676942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tommy asks a question, and almost immediately regrets it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ultimatum

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Tommy survived the undertaking, spent a year 'dead' and returned. Other than his death, things happened the same. Laurel became Black Canary in the same manner motivated by losing Sara and the desire to never again lose Tommy.

* * *

"Which would you choose?"

Laurel looked up from peeling off her mask. Patrol had been long tonight and all she'd wanted was her bed so she'd bypassed the cave and come straight home. 

She was starting to regret that choice.

Tommy watched her from where he was seated at the kitchen table, just now getting up to get ready for the day.

"Choose what?" she clarified, hoping she was wrong about where this conversation was going. But the grim look on his face told her different.

All she'd wanted was to curl up with Tommy and sleep away her one day off a week. The longer she stood in the kitchen, the more sure she was that she wasn't going to get her wish.

He sighed, putting down his coffee with an audible clunk. 

"Between me and…" he waved at her mask and tonfa which were laying innocently on the kitchen table, "your night job. Which would you pick?"

Laurel sat down, easing into the seat. She adjusted the buckles on her suit, loosening them so she was more comfortable. Buying time to parse what he was asking of her.

Taking in a steadying breath she looked up to meet his gaze.

"I don't know what you want me to say." she responded, her voice small and quiet even to her own ears.

He shifted in his seat across from her, laying his hand on the table. Palm up.

An invitation.

One Laurel would never, could never, refuse.

Clasping their hands she watched him, looking for a sign as to what this was about. A sign of what had brought this on. She'd thought they were doing well, that they were finding their footing in their relationship again. 

He heaved a breath, "I don't know what I want to hear either."

They sat there for a moment, at an impasse, Laurel wide awake now as she studied his face.

She struggled to find something to say, to figure out what she was _supposed_ to say. She'd say just about anything if it meant not losing Tommy. Not when she'd only just gotten him back off.

He'd died in the undertaking and it had only been Malcolm's deal with Ra's al Ghul that had brought him back to them. Back to her. Losing him the first time had almost destroyed her, what would a second time do to her?

He was half the reason she'd become Black Canary, to prevent anyone else from losing their 'Tommy'.

"Are you… asking me to choose between the mask and you? As a friend? As my partner?" she asked finally. Partner didn't seem like the right word, but boyfriend felt too juvenile and lover didn't fit the conversation. Partner would have to do. 

Tommy looked up from where he'd been studying the table like it held the secrets of the universe. "I…"

He trailed off, shrugging.

Laurel nodded, and took a deep breath.

"If my being the Black Canary makes you unhappy…"

"That’s not it," he interrupted, shaking his head. "I'm not unhappy with you, I'm just not sure I'm happy all the time either."

She faltered, looking away to hide her hurt.

Tommy winced, realizing how that sounded. "Laurel…"

But she shook her head, cutting him off. "I get it, you don't want to be with someone you barely see. Who spends her nights fighting crime instead of in bed with you. Who has to cancel dates more than she attends them."

He frowned as she ranted, listing all the reasons they shouldn't work.

"You died, and this is your second chance. You shouldn't be wasting it with me." She looked back at him then, meeting his gaze.

Her eyes were rimmed red with tears. "You should get out while you still can. Everyone leaves me eventually, I'm used to it. I'll mange."

That and the utter resignation in her gaze was the last straw for him and he pushed to his feet, kneeling in front of her.

"Laurel, babe, that is not what I meant. I never meant that." he pleaded, tugging her into his arms. Desperate to get his arms around her. 

She slid out of her seat, practically falling into his lap. 

"Tommy." she cried, wrapping her arms around his neck. Hanging on for dear life.

He returned the grip, cursing himself for ever bringing up his concerns.

He'd never meant to turn it into this, to hurt her, to make her think he didn't want her. It had just been a question that had been plaguing him, a what if he couldn't let go of. Something that kept him up at night while she was risking her life.

If it came down to it, which would she choose? Being Black Canary or him?

But now that he'd opened his mouth and asked the question, a question that had her sobbing in his arms, he found he didn't care.

"Laurel," he started, "Look at me."

She shook her head, her nose brushing his collar bone and making him shiver.

"Please, Laurel. Just… look at me."

After several long, torturous moments she pulled back far enough to meet his gaze.

The wounded look in her eyes was a punch to his gut. For a moment he forgot what he was going to say, struck speechless by guilt.

"Oh Laurel, don't you know how in love with you I am?" he asked, stroking her hair out of her face.

He used his thumbs to wipe her tears away, brushing over her lips when he was done. Her lips fell open, twisting with emotion.

"If death couldn't keep me away, nothing will." he finished, trying to make his words as firm as possible. To give her no more cause to doubt him.

She dared to smile, her eyes still watery.

He leaned up to kiss her, pouring his feelings into it.

She made a noise in the back of her throat, shifting closer to him. Their kisses were salty with her tears and flavored with his coffee but he didn't care.

When they pulled apart they both had to take a breath. Their foreheads pressed together, their noses brushing.

"Don't let me hurt you." Laurel whispered into the stillness of their kitchen.

He sucked in a breath, "Not possible, my lovely bird. That's just not possible."

He'd spend the rest of his days convincing her, if need be.

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a random one-shot that's been sitting on my laptop forever, driving me nuts. I'm clearing house, posting what's finished. 
> 
> Let me know what you thought :)


End file.
